Restaurante Apicius
C/Eolo 7, 46021 Valencia
https://www.restaurante-apicius.com
One of the loveliest eating places in Valencia is owned and operated by the husband and spouse staff of Enrique Medina and Yvonne Arcidiacono.
This is actually progressive meals and may obtain no less than one Michelin star (however we’re form of completely happy that it has not as a result of it will be too, too busy). Chef Medina’s delicacies focuses on high-quality, seasonal, market merchandise that interprets right into a union of custom and innovation in what’s, fairly merely, an incredible menu providing. Yvonne’s oversight of the entrance of home is surpassed solely by her husband’s delicacies. Seldom does one discover such wonderful and attentive service.
This is a sampling of a current menu:
ENCURTIDOS de la Huerta con emulsión de comino
Pickled greens from native fields with cumin emulsion
NUESTRO CAPPUCCINO
Our cappuccino
CEBOLLA DULCE escalivada, ajo blanco y negro
Sweet onion with white and black garlic
ESPARRAGÓ BLANCO al pure, yema y mojama
Fresh White asparagus, yolk and tuna ham
BERENJENA y GAMBA BLANCA DE CULLERA
Aubergine and white prawns from Cullera
Nuestro ARROZ de la captura de las barcas
Our seaman’s rice
CEREZAS, CHOCOLATE BLANCO, CREMAET
Cherries with white chocolate, espresso
The pickled greens are pleasant with onions, turnip, cucumbers and carrots. They all have the crispness of the veggies seeds preserved with a light-weight acidic taste that’s complemented by the cumin emulsion. Cumin can so usually simply overwhelm a dish however is is the background notice and the glowing of crunchy sunflower seeds actually rounds out the amuse bouche.
This is adopted by a cappuccino of artichoke that’s gentle and creamy. Don’t let the graceful floor of this idiot you. Lurking beneath are little surprises with every chunk — blueberry, gherkin, almonds, pistachios and a little bit little bit of crumbly goat cheese. Sweet, clean, savory, crunchy and tart — a special taste with every chunk.
The escalivada that follows is plated as little onion cups on a mattress of white emulsion and topped with a black garlic cream. If you aren’t acquainted, escalivada is Catalonian (Chef Medina is Catalan) smoked greens (often eggplant, peppers or onion with minced garlic). In this case smoked candy onions are complemented by the candy white garlic and umami black garlic.
A couple of programs in and it’s laborious to resolve which is the favourite. It’s not a contest however what follows simply will get higher and higher. This is partly as a result of the meals continues to play on nice Spanish delicacies traditions however with one of the playful spins of any chef cooking right now. The seafood dishes that comply with do exactly that…
While the white asparagus dish looks like it’s tremendous conventional with fats, gentle, poached asparagus (not too salty) however with a confit egg yolk, recent thinly sliced mushroom caps and little slices of tuna ham. Is it posh ham and eggs? Is it a riff on breakfast? Who cares. It is completely elegant.
Equally elegant is the eggplant that’s so gentle and candy and topped with three small shrimps and carpaccio with a light-weight saffron cream (virtually a foam, effectively about half method between a foam and a cream — possibly a fream or a croam?).
The remaining dinner course is a rice dish. Not a paella precisely as a result of it comes out of the kitchen in an urn for desk aspect plating. This is tremendous scorching and ladled on high of small filets of white fish and recent tomato in a method that the new rice heats and barely cooks the tomatoes and fish. It has all the pieces that you really want in an awesome Valencian rice dish — completely cooked and never gummy rice with every grain distinct and refined saffron taste. The good twist in a metropolis that is filled with wonderful paella decisions however this one with a stamp all its personal.
Six programs in and once more, it’s laborious to resolve which one is greatest. However, that’s the purpose. An incredible chef’s menu tells a narrative and every course segues into the subsequent ideally with a little bit of a loping gait that permits you to get misplaced within the meal. This story is considered one of nice Spanish delicacies as solely Chef Medina can do.
Chef Medina was born in Zaragoza and started cooking early at 9 years of age. This led to him learning on the Higher School of Catalonia and the Autonomous University of Barcelona. Further coaching at European eating places and resorts in Spain and France together with the Relais & Chateaux restaurant, situated within the Gran Hotel Son Net (5 stars) in Palma de Mallorca and in El Bulli in Seville (Ferran Adrià Restaurant, 2 Michelin Stars) and Valencian group La Sucursal.
While working overseas he met Yvonne who had recognized from a younger that she would pursue a profession in hospitality and gastronomy. She accomplished hospitality coaching in a resort in Cologne after which labored in luxurious resorts in Germany, Switzerland and Spain Relais & Chateaux, Leading Hotels of the World and Gault Milleu.
The couple met and have been providing beautiful nice eating in Valencia at Apicius since 2007.
The wine listing (as with virtually all Spanish Cartas de Vinos) affords nice decisions for amazingly cheap costs. The native whites are particularly good.
Oh, sure, postres. In this case cherries nestled on high of both white or milk chocolate served with a drizzle of cherry syrup alongside orange segments and a espresso cream. Light and refreshing but in addition true to the bounty of the area’s fruit.
The service is flawless with a straightforward and strategy that’s something however rushed. It simply flows. The declare on their Web web site “that good service is one which adapts to the consumer’s expectations.” Is not hyperbole. Her maxim “Give a smile and you’ll obtain a smile” works from the second you’re seated and lingers together with the reminiscence of the wonderful meal.
